Scenario: Democrat in a rock-ribbed Republican state. He politics the snot out of his state to get himself elected statewide, then runs for national office.
Result: He goes off to Washington and votes the party line a maddening amount of the time. Democrats quietly snicker in triumph, Republicans tear our hair out while failing to get any attacks to stick.
Scenario: Republican in a decidedly Democratic state. He politics the snot out of his state to get himself elected statewide, then runs for national office.
Result: He never gets anywhere because Republicans are so scared of people who ‘grow’ in office that we get scared that any flipping will lead to flip-flopping. Attacks. Finger-pointing. Democrats quietly snicker in triumph.
Is this the way things ought to be? I’m not sure, to be honest. Clearly there is possible political improvement to be had, but I don’t know if we want to play this game.